Burglars Hit West Sacramento Teacher's Classroom, Students And Parents Help Her Recover
WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A burglar hit a local classroom and stole hundreds of dollars in school supplies a teacher paid for out of her own pocket.
Officials at Riverbank Elementary School in West Sacramento say the burglar broke in over the weekend, but they didn't know what had happened until the teacher showed up for work on Monday.
Candy Whitney loves teaching, and her fifth-grade students. She's seen a lot in her 12 years in the classroom, but nothing like what she saw when she opened up on Monday morning.
"I noticed some things on the floor that weren't there on Friday," she said.
Principal Mike Woodcock says someone climbed to the roof of Whitney's building, broke into a hatch and then climbed into her classroom.
"Someone just went shopping in our classroom," she said.
The burglar stole as many supplies as possible, including a CD player, pens, pencils, keyboard, and even rummaged through the children's desks. All in all, it was about $600 worth of stolen items.
Some of the supplies Whitney paid for out of her own pocket.
"It just adds up when you start thinking about it," she said.
With budget cuts, many teachers supplement school supplies with their own money.
But on Tuesday, parents and students put their money where their hearts are by trying to replace what was stolen. Whitney got a safe to lock things up, a $100 check and a bag of supplies.
"I just started tearing up. It was just so heartwarming," she said.
The teacher was taught a lesson that day—how much she's appreciated and loved.
She says she's grateful, though she is still short school supplies. No arrests have been made, and a suspect has not been identified.
